Piano Practice Interrupted, Willem Bartel van der Kooi, 1813

The Frisian painter Willem Bartel van der Kooi was a master at depicting children. The children in this painting are portrayed so playfully and naturally that the work resembles a snapshot. However, appearances are deceiving, for Van der Kooij carefully arranged the children to form a triangular composition. It is not known whether the painting is a portrait or an imaginary scene.